I thought I knew the man I married. Travis was calm, dependable, and seemed eager to be part of my life with my teenage son, Caleb. But while I was away on a business trip in Germany, everything changed.
I returned home early, hoping to surprise them. Instead, I found Caleb near a dumpster, thin, dirty, and terrified. He’d been living on the streets for over a month. Travis had kicked him out, claiming Caleb was “disrespectful” and threatening to lie to me if Caleb reached out. My heart shattered.
Caleb told me Travis had turned our home into a party house, hosting strangers while my son starved. I took Caleb to a hotel, fed him, and vowed to end my marriage—but not before teaching Travis a lesson he’d never forget.
I called Marcus, a retired cop and old friend. Together, we staged a fake arrest. Marcus posed as an officer and told Travis that Caleb had been caught stealing food and the store owner demanded $15,000 to drop charges. Panicked, Travis wired the money.
Then I called him. “I’m back,” I said coldly. “And I know everything.”
The next morning, I filed for divorce. Travis exploded, but I stood firm. “You abandoned my son. You lied. You partied while he suffered. You don’t deserve honesty.”
I gave the entire $15,000 to Caleb. “Use it for college, a car—whatever helps you move forward.”
We moved into a quiet apartment near his school. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s peaceful. One night, while watching TV, Caleb nudged me and said, “You really got him good.”
I smiled. “He had it coming.”
And I’ll always find my son—because that’s what mothers do.
